“Look for the potential,” I call after him, hoping he takes the hint and doesn’t burst his brother’s bubble.
As indifferent as Remi likes us all to believe he is, I have a sneaking suspicion his brother’s approval would mean the world to him.
Outside, I see a dark SUV parked next to Linc’s Wrangler, a figure behind the wheel.The security detail.The back bay door is closed, but I know a similar vehicle is parked in the back lot.It belongs to the Battaglia Security two-man team that showed up an hour ago.One of the guys is in my office, keeping an eye on things in here and monitoring the cameras, while the other stayed outside.
Roy had been very helpful and agreed to have a team here for a couple of hours every afternoon and possibly next Saturday, should this drag on that long.He told me not to worry, that he’d done work alongside the FBI before and would coordinate directly with them.
When I asked him to bill me for the time, he suggested an hour-for-hour barter for work on his fleet of company vehicles, which was a deal I gladly accepted.
I turn and focus my attention back to the starter motor I’m replacing in an older Dodge Durango but listen to the boys talking with half an ear.Linc seems to have received my message and is complimentary, asking Remi a ton of questions about what needs to be done to get it ready for the road.
It’s gonna take a bit.Over the weekend I gave the bolts holding the Chevy’s engine in place an extra hit of lubricant, hoping that would be enough to loosen them.If the kid can get those off, maybe we can lift the engine this afternoon.I’m sure he’ll get a kick out of that.But it’ll only be the beginning of the ton of work that will need to be done.
It’s a while later, as I’m dropping the hood on the Durango, I catch Linc’s wave on his way out the door.The SUV follows when Linc drives his Jeep off the lot.
When I glance over at the Chevy, I notice Remi hanging into the engine compartment.He’s teetering on a couple of tires he stacked up to give him the added inches he needs to get better access to those bolts, but it looks like he’s struggling.
Kyle is just coming back in from moving the Nissan Acura he was working on earlier to a spot out front.The owner is supposed to pick it up before five, as will the owner of the Durango I just finished.We’re done early, and for once we don’t have a backlog of vehicles out in the lot waiting for service.
“Yo, Kyle, if you want, you can head out early, but can you move the Durango out front before you go?”
I toss him the keys and walk over to see what is giving Remi trouble.
“Need a hand?”I ask when I notice him trying to budge a stubborn bolt.
“I can’t move it,” he grunts through gritted teeth.
“Let me have a go,” I offer.
“It’s all seized up.”
“If it is, we’ll have to cut it, which isn’t a big deal, just a little extra sweat equity.”
He hands me the wrench and steps out of the way.It takes a few forceful jerks to get the first hint of movement in the bolt, before I hand the tool back for Remi to finish the job.
An hour and fifteen minutes later, we have the engine sitting on a floor jack and a thick block of wood under the oil pan.I could’ve left it on the engine hoist, but it has to come apart anyway, so this way is easier.It’s sitting in front of the pickup, leaving Remi enough room to work on it.
We stand side by side, both with our arms crossed as we scrutinize the different components.
“So what’s next?”I ask Remi, wanting him to take the lead.
“Take it apart, catalog every piece, and mark where it goes.”
“You betcha.Every little screw, bolt, and ring.Even the smallest part is essential.”
“I know,” he confirms.
“Any idea how you’re gonna keep them all apart?”
“We had color-coded bins at school.Each component had a different color and we’d keep the parts together in the bins.”
“Seems like a sound plan.”
I hear footsteps behind me and swing around, as I instinctively block Remi from whoever is approaching.
“What seems like a sound plan?”Tessa asks, a smile on her face.
“Color-coded bins for the different parts of the engine,” Remi answers, side-stepping me to see her.“Can we go pick some up?”
